Ashley returns from fabled San Diego with tales of Pauly Shore, custom toys, and the occasional video game. Feel free to check out her expanded thoughts on many of these topics in her blogs, by the way. Because we are iconoclasts, uninterested in the games The Man(tm) want you to play, there will be no Starcraft 2 talk on this week’s show. Maybe next week. Maybe.

In other news, Mike done did a show what’s not YAGS. It’s called the GoozCast and you should listen.

Feel free to send comments, questions, and unveiled threats to yags@fancypantsgangsters.com or leave comments in the post below. Also be sure to check out the forums for more discussion, follow us on Twitter, and become our fan on Facebook for other stories and announcements.

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Comments and questions can be left here or sent to tct@fancypantsgangsters.com. Not sure why you’d want to, though. For the really eager among you, check out our forums and become our fan on Facebook.

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All images related to this episode shamelessly stolen from Heavy  Table’s review.

The Well Fed Guide To Life is brought to you in part by The Four Firkins specialty beer store and HopChart.com.

You can send us topic ideas, restaurant recommendations, comments, challenges, and questions to wellfed@fancypantsgangsters.com, or you can click on Comments at the top of this post. Also, feel free to check out our forums for more discussion and become our fan on Facebook. Lastly, for more pictures of the food featured on this week’s show, check out our new Flickr Page.

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DCUO is a an action MMO game that let’s you be the hero/villain. So many games out there are based on characters we know and love from the DC Universe, but that doesn’t let YOU be the hero. The player is experiencing it through someone else’s eyes. The creators of DCUO are changing all that. The player first decides what team to be on: superheroes or villains. Then you get to pick a character you want to emulate. As the game progresses, that character will give you special outfits, armor and weapons because they are proud of you and think you are doing a good job. This is who your character becomes the next legend. You get to play along side DC favorites such as the Joker (voiced by Mark Hamill), Batman (voiced by Kevin Conroy), Wonderwoman, Superman and more.

Whether a person is saving or conquering the universe, the levels are all places in the DC franchise world. I got to play in the Batcave which was fun. The overall graphics look amazing and crisp. I experienced the PS3 version since I am not a PC gamer. I did see the PC version next to me and they looked very sharp as well. Playing as Harley Quinn, I got to see just how fast the action is in this game. It is like fighting game, but as a MMO. We were capturing bases and beating the crap put of each other. The controls were easy to get use to and the different moves were endless. Seriously, Harley has some sick attacks. Actually every player had some wicked attacks. I would like to make my own villain and fit along with her though. That seems like the one of the biggest selling points for me.

The player can also embark on story-driven adventures created by famous DC writers including Geoff Johns and Marv Wolfman. It seems the game has many layers of fun to be had by all. The game will be available to purchase in the beginning of November. The game is for PC and PS3 and will cost $59.99 plus a monthly fee of around $14.99. I was a bit turned off by that because you don’t have to pay a monthly fee for Halo 3 or COD but then again, they aren’t just MMO’s. My guide Michael assured me that there will be many updates and DLC to keep you happy. I hope so. And of course there will be a store to buy merch for your character. Got to get that money!

It was a lot of fun for the ten minutes I got to play it and would be really interested playing with my own character. I did play against other people and that was enjoyable. The appeal is there and it might just be the superhero MMO we have been waiting for.

The Specialist

Right away I thought these headphones were awesome with their sleek look. Then I put them on and loved how they felt on my ears. Sensitivity plagues my ears and anyone can relate to headphones starting to irritate theirs’ after a while. The pads on the phones were extremely soft and light-weight feeling. The dial on the side is the volume control for easy access. They played some techno-type music for me to listen to the audio quality. It was clear sounding and the noise from outside the headset was quickly reduced. One of the most unique things about the Specialist is that it has a retractable microphone. If a person just wants to listen to music they can without a microphone n the way, but if they want to use it for skyping or gaming the can just unwind it and start talking. The Specialist comes in 4 colors: black, red, blue and green. Green is my favorite. They aren’t as flashy as Skullcandy headphones, but their capabilities make up for that. The Specialist is compatible with the Xbox 360, PS3, PC and handheld gaming systems as well as personal media players and cell phones including the iPod and iPhone. Hooray for new Xbox headsets!

Specs

- Drivers: Dual 26mm Mylar

- Frequency Response: 20 Hz to 20kHz

- Noise Reduction:  6 dB @ 1 kHz

- Sensitivity: 104 dBSPL @ 1 kHz

- THD: <0.5% @ 1 kHz; <2% from 40 Hz to 20 kHz

- Input impedance: 32-ohms

- Microphone: 4mm Omnidirectional

- Weight: 0.30 lbs

Included in Box

- Specialist Stereo Headset

- Carrying Case

- 3.5mm detachable cable

- PC Splitter

- User Manual

- Warranty Card

Now Available

- Pricing: $79.99*

*Negotiator gaming adaptor available in bundled package for $99.99

The Scout

The other headphone NOX Audio showed me was called the Scout. Small but full of surprises. Notice the different shape of the buds. The little flaps scared me at first but they are actually quite comfortable. Made out of a soft plastic that flexes to fit into your ears, these guys would slip in and stay in. The Scout has good audio quality and a cool microphone like the Specialist. Located on the earbuds’ wire there is a small piece that would normally look like it served no purpose but to separate the buds. That small piece is an omnidirectional microphone which currently boasts “the world’s smallest send/end button.” So neat! You just press it and the music plays or stops. I know because I was there and they let me push it. It is compatible with the same products as the specialist (with purchase of the Negotiator Universal Optical adaptor) so if you are looking for a smaller option to the Specialist, this is it!

Specs

- Drivers: 6mm Balanced Armature

- Frequency Response: 10Hz to 20kHz

- Sensitivity: 107dBSPL @ 1kHz @ 100mV

- Input impedance: 32-ohms

- Microphone: 4mm Electrets Omnidirectional

Included in Box

- Scout Headset

- 3 Ear Cushions

- 2 Silicone Flanges

Release date: Fall 2010

- Pricing: $89.99

So if you are in the market for a new headset or headphones, try out some NOX Audio ones. They aren’t any more expensive than other headphones/headsets (other than Bose maybe) and pack a lot of punch other don’t have.

This show is brought to you in part by MNSKA.com, Minnesota’s Ska Community.  You can contact Courtney at FOSS@fancypantsgangsters.com or follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/mnska. For a track listing of this episode’s songs, be sure to check out the forums.

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The game is for a younger audience which fits with the Clone Wars cartoon franchise. Based on an all online program, anyone of any age can make a profile, pick your race and customize the character with many costume choices from all over the galaxy. Now the game is free for everyone but you can of course spend money at the shop for an AT-AT pet and clothing. People can opt to be premium members and pay a monthly fee of around $15 to get more games and maps to choose from.

The game’s graphics were really smooth and close to looking to the cartoon. Clone Wars Adventures is complied of many mini games. You can race other players on star cruisers or duel with Obi-Wan to continue your jedi training. I don’t think it is possibly to duel with other players but that might be for the kid friendly feel. The games are pretty simple but the addiction of be-jeweled in some of their puzzle-type games is there. There is no leveling up system but high score charts are definitely involved.

The kid friendly feel is there but it has appeal to everyone who enjoys the Star Wars world. Make a profile and enjoy some games that you can play online for free if you are bored or want to play around for an hour or two. There really is no bad thing about that. Half the fun is dressing and making your own Star Wars character. The controls were easy to follow because they figured if it took more than a single screen to explain the control then it was too complicated for children or dumb adults.

The game has some promise but I don’t know how many adults will be buying the premium package. It is cool it will have it’s own site that a person can play off of instead of buying a disk. Star Wars parents and kids could really get into this game if they keep up the content with all the amazinginess of the Star Wars Empire. If any thing, go to the site when it comes out and try it for free. It is a win-win for everyone.

Another all-male show this week as Ashley graces San Diego for some event. Family thing, I think. Anyway Mike, Court, and Evan lament the loss of 1 vs 100, complain about fantastical notions of “game aggregation”, discussed Kevin Conroy’s Joker-esque facial features, and managed to find even more ways to dissect Mass Effect. How we do it, no man can say.

Be sure to catch Mike on this week’s GoozCast. You know the old saying, Mike, if you lose, you’re out of the family.

Feel free to send comments, questions, and unveiled threats to yags@fancypantsgangsters.com or leave comments in the post below. Also be sure to check out the forums for more discussion, follow us on Twitter, and become our fan on Facebook for other stories and announcements.

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Comments and questions can be left here or sent to tct@fancypantsgangsters.com. Not sure why you’d want to, though. For the really eager among you, check out our forums and become our fan on Facebook.

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Just to give you an idea of how much food we had, here’s a list of the featured vendors:

Sadia’s Hot Sauce
Sweet M’s Farm
Laughing Stalk Farms
Thomasina’s Cashew Brittle
Salsa De Jasinto (Facebook Page)
Chef Shack
Dandelion Cafe
Foxy Falafel
She Royal Deli
Magic Bus Cafe

Huge thanks to Jess and everyone else we talked to at the Uptown Market. If you want to check it out, it’s open every Sunday from 11 to 5 pm. Support your local food markets!

The Well Fed Guide To Life is brought to you in part by The Four Firkins specialty beer store and HopChart.com.

You can send us topic ideas, restaurant recommendations, comments, challenges, and questions to wellfed@fancypantsgangsters.com, or you can click on Comments at the top of this post. Also, feel free to check out our forums for more discussion and become our fan on Facebook. Lastly, for more pictures of the food featured on this week’s show, check out our new Flickr Page.

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